The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-14
A STORY OF JOHN KENNA.
Zeb Vance Not the Only Senator Who Has
Exhibited in a Circus.


A friend of John Kenna, the West Vir-
GINA senator, says that Zeb Vance Is not
entitled to a patent on campaign speaking
at a circus Last fall, so the story goes,
Vance and the circus struck North Caro-
lima town at the same time. The senator
persuaded the Snowman that the people had
turned out to hear him speak rather than to
see the elephant. "You see," said Vance
to the Snowman, "I'm something of cir
Gus myself The result was division Of
time by which Vance got of his political
remarks to the crowd in the tent, and the
regular programme followed.
s'When the question of removing the
capital from Wheeling to Charleston was
up.n saws Mr.. Kenna's friend, ''we had a
red hot canvass. Kenna was for Charleston
and he took the stump with Col. Romerie
Frier. They made their way from place to
place up the Kanawa valley, but the people
didn't respond as they hoped One night,
after a particularly hard days work,
Kenna said: Col. Frier, unless we can get
up something new we are done for
% That's what think, said Frier, gloom
lily.
''Kenna sat with his feet on the table and
Wheeling stoga between his teeth, think
ing. All at once he said: Colonel, I've got
it. 1 noticed to-day by the paper that cir
Gus is billed for Huntington on Saturday
and is going through the state Wen go
down there and make an arrangement to
travel along with the show and deliver short
speeches under the tent just before the per-
Torrance. The circus will bring those old
mountain foxes out of their holes if anything
will
% I'm with you,' said Col Frier.
1.-THE two politicians made better ar
rangement than they had at first contem-
plated. The novelty of the thing struck the
| Snowman where he was at home. He fixed
I'D a programme like this: After the grand
entree and cavalcade Frier was to be intro
duced and to talk ten minutes. The Won
| derful performing war elephant Pilot was
| to follow and that act was to be succeeded
| by the beautiful queen of the flaming zone
in her unparalleled feat of riding an I'M
tanned mustang bare backed through hoop
of fire. Then Kenna was to make his
speech, being presented by the clown. This
programme was faithfully carried out. The
clowns introduction of Kenna was one of
the telling points He did it after this fash
| ion:
Ladies and gentlemen, old and young
without regard to race, color or previous
condition, I an about to introduce to you
Mister Kenner, the brag young orator and
coming statesman of your thriving state.
He is self made man. AS a plOwboy he
| plowed corn on these rugged hills, bare
footed, bareheaded, and, l say it proudly
in his shirt tail, until he was 16 years of
age His hands are as horny as leather. He
can strike fire from the flint rock with his
heel His well shaped and intellectual head
defies the hottest rays of a July sun. His
constitution is as tough as yonder rhinocercs
in the cage to the left of the band wagon.
His voice is like the African lions. His eye
| is piercing as the American eagles. In his
movements he is as quick as the mountain
fox, and his disposition is as mild as the
dying swans Hear him, ladies and gentle
men, and bear in mind that the perform
ance is not yet half over.
"Then Kenna would speak. Well" he
continued, wheeling hadn't any show
against such campaign as that, and Charles
ton got the capital"